Held alongside the U.S. Open for the first time ever, the BCA Hall of Fame banquet welcomed Allison Fisher and Johnny Archer — two of the greatest to ever play the game.

Johnny Archer

Born in tiny Twin City, Ga., Nov. 12, 1968, Archer was drawn to the game by a small coin-op table in the arcade of a local Minute Mart. He began playing more frequently at a small room called “Chester’s” in nearby Matter, and it was Chester, himself, who took Archer under his wing and eventually introduced him to tournament play in 1984 at the Tennessee State Open in Chattanooga. Archer, 15 at the time, never looked back. “My parents tried to keep me in school, but they couldn’t change my mind,” Archer said in a 1992 interview in Billiards Digest.

Archer joined the pro tour full-time in 1986, but it was six years before he won his first tour title, the 1991 Sands Regency Open. The following year, Archer won five titles, including the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World 9-Ball Championship, and was named Billiards Digest Player of the Year (POY), the first of such POY titles Archer would garner. Archer would go on to win 12 Professional Billiard Tour (PBT) titles over the next four years, including two of his four world crowns (back-to-back PBT World 9-Ball championships in 1993 and 1994). Archer once again won the WPA World 9-Ball Championship in 1996. In all, Archer has won more than 60 tournaments. He has also been a member of Team USA in the Mosconi Cup 12 times.

Allison Fisher

Fisher was born Feb. 24, 1968, in Peacehaven, Sussex, England. She began playing snooker at age seven and won her first title at 15. In a dozen years playing professional snooker, Fisher won 18 titles, including 12 world championships (four of those in doubles competition). She moved to the U.S. in September 1995 to try her hand on the WPBA Classic Tour, and promptly won two 9-ball titles in three months. Fisher won an astounding 20 Classic Tour titles in the next four years. In total, she’s collected 53 titles on the Classic Tour. She also won the WPA World 9-Ball Championship in 1996, 2001 and 2002. During Fisher’s reign, she earned Billiards Digest Player of the Year honors 11 times in 12 years.

Since 1978, Billiards Digest magazine has been the pool world’s best source for news, tournament coverage, player profiles, bold editorials, and advice on how to play pool. Our instructors include superstars Nick Varner and Jeanette Lee. Every issue features the pool accessories and equipment you love — pool cues, pool tables, instruction aids and more. Columnists Mike Shamos and R.A. Dyer examine legends like Willie Mosconi and Minnesota Fats, and dig deep into the histories of pool games like 8-ball, 9-ball and straight pool.